$2.2 billion in South Coast Rail bonding approved by House; funding not guaranteed

Thursday

Jan 30, 2014 at 2:07 PMMar 27, 2014 at 2:10 PM

Michael Holtzman Herald News Staff Reporter @MDHoltzman

A 151-0 vote by the House on Wednesday night authorized $2.2 billion in South Coast Rail project funding as part of a $12 billion transportation bonding package, legislators said.

The measure now goes before the Senate,. While it authorizes borrowing, it does not guarantee all of the projects under the package will be funded.

Priorities will rest with Gov. Deval Patrick, who continues to be a staunch advocate of South Coast Rail. Patrick will remain in office for the next 11 months.

State Rep. William Straus, D-Mattapoisett, co-chairman of the Joint Committee on Transportation, said the bond authorization vote to bring commuter rail from Fall River and New Bedford to South Station represents a milestone for this project.

"It has never been authorized at its full project construction level in the past," Straus said of the $2.2 billion in funding.

He said that — taken in tandem with $700,000 of increased annual funding for transportation with required gas and motor vehicle tax designated for transportation bonding — the funding to support the bond is in place.

Funds would not be borrowed until they are needed for what's envisioned as an eight-year project going forward.

Straus and state Sen. Michael Rodrigues, D-Westport, both said they were optimistic of seeing the needed two-thirds support in the Senate and the vote happening soon.

"In the next two or three weeks, we should take this up," Rodrigues said. Straus concurred with that time frame.

House Speaker Pro Tempore Patricia Haddad, D-Somerset, said the local delegation mobilized to include the full rail financing, along with a wide range of transportation amendments to fund area projects.

"We put it together. We worked side by side as a cohesive delegation," Haddad said.

"My biggest thing was keeping an eye on what was happening with South Coast Rail," Haddad said, because there are "people along the route that are not in favor" of the project.

She noted that a study commission must conduct further work before full construction can begin.

State Rep. Paul Schmid, D-Westport, stressed the cooperation needed from legislators in the area of Stoughton and Canton, where citizens opposed South Coast Rail.

He said the unanimous vote, after considerable work sharing information with people in that area, indicated their colleagues in the Legislature understood the need of this region to have trains to Boston. A second point they understood was the need for "the outskirts to grow" to help the state.

"I'm very encouraged by the South Coast Rail bond," Schmid said.

Rodrigues said the Army Corps of Engineers' approval of a final environmental impact report of the recommended route through Stoughton was another critical advance.

"It was the first time we have a fully federally and state permitted project," Rodrigues said. He acknowledged that permitting, environmental and land-acquisition issues still need to be completed.

"We're ready to roll," he said, stating he was "extremely confident" the Senate will support the bill that Patrick declared he is ready to sign.

Addressing spending, he estimated "the real big bucks probably will come three or four years down the road."

Haddad and Straus both stressed the importance of completing work during the 11 months Patrick remains in office.

Haddad said she envisions continuing of fixing bridges and rebuilding tracks to receive additional funding this year.

Straus said Patrick has committed to prioritizing South Coast Rail spending. "I'm hoping he gets as much committed and signed under contract as he can," Straus said.

State Sen. Marc Pacheco, D-Taunton, reiterated his caution as he did in November when the Joint Transportation Committee recommended the bonding bill.

He said there's been bonding language for South Coast Rail in the past and that "it was essentially underfinanced."

Pacheco said after the House vote it could happen again.

"It's as positive as the last time we authorized South Coast Rail," Pacheco said. "I'm very happy about it, but also being very realistic."